The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (February 1), the first day of the Lunar New Year, visited colleagues on duty at the Contact Tracing Offices in Kai Tak and Mong Kok to encourage them to step up efforts in contact-tracing of COVID-19 confirmed cases in response to the current local epidemic situation. She also extended her New Year greetings to them and thanked them for their hard work during the holidays.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, Mrs Lam visited the Office in Kai Tak set up by the Department of Health in January last year and the newly opened Office in Mong Kok in operation since end January this year. The Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Woo Ying-ming, and the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho Pui-shan, also visited the Office in Mong Kok to cheer for colleagues and extended their New Year greetings to them. 

     Colleagues of the Offices briefed Mrs Lam on the wide range of work on contact-tracing of confirmed cases against the fifth wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong, especially in response to those involving the Omicron variant, in a bid to cut all transmission chains in the community as soon as possible. As a case in point, the "Moon Palace" cluster had earlier been put under control quickly by putting in quarantine, by batch and in an orderly manner, all the 200-odd customers having had meals at the restaurant during the relevant period (of which 80 per cent were contacted within 24 hours), 22 staff members, and over 1 000 close contacts and their family members arising from the 16 confirmed cases in the cluster. Mrs Lam affirmed the efficiency of the Offices and encouraged colleagues to be more patient and empathetic when approaching the close contacts and arranging for their admission to quarantine centres.

     The two Offices are currently staffed by more than 400 officers, who are mainly deployed from various disciplinary services with rich investigation experience. Coupled with the professional training provided by the Centre for Health Protection under the Department of Health, the officers can help strengthen the epidemiological investigation as well as the contact-tracing of confirmed cases. The Offices have assisted in tracing more than 31 000 contacts of confirmed cases thus far, with arrangements made to put the relevant people in quarantine in order to reduce the spread of the virus in the community. In the fifth wave of the epidemic, over 60 per cent of the cases epidemiologically linked with imported or local cases have been found in the quarantine centres or cordoned-off buildings under "restriction-testing declarations". In other words, the patients have not been moving about freely in the community by the time of their test results found positive.

     Furthermore, over 10 000 serving officers or retirees of the disciplinary services so far have received training, enabling the Government to deploy more manpower to assist in contact-tracing as needed having regard to the epidemic situation.

     "To combat the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the Government is committed to taking swift, targeted and resolute actions to curb the fifth wave of the epidemic as soon as possible. Tracing the close contacts of every confirmed case and speedily arranging for their quarantine, and requiring the close contacts of close contacts to undergo compulsory testing or compulsory quarantine depending on the risk level, are integral parts of the Government's race against time with the virus variant to contain the epidemic," Mrs Lam said.

     "I wholeheartedly thank members of the public for being highly co-operative, especially those required to undergo compulsory quarantine during the festive season. The contribution of each and every one of you will help Hong Kong win again in the current wave of the epidemic. I appeal to members of the public again to continue to support the Government's anti-epidemic efforts by staying home and reducing cross-family gatherings as far as possible during the Lunar New Year, and maintaining personal hygiene, in hope of riding out of this wave early and resuming normal life gradually."

          

     In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary shelters today (February 1) for people in need of the service.
  
     The temporary shelters will remain open during the daytime tomorrow (February 2) when the Cold Weather Warning is still in force.
 
     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.
 
     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department's hotline 2572 8427 for more information.
 
     In light of the implementation of mandatory use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application when entering government premises, all persons are required to use the app to scan the venue QR code before they are allowed to enter temporary cold shelters, except for exempted persons (including persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, persons with disabilities that render use of the app difficult and persons without smartphones). All exempted persons are required to complete a prescribed form to register their personal particulars, contact phone number and the date and time of entry. The staff will verify the information provided.
 
     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Island:
——————–
 
Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex, 2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern:
Wah Kwai Community Centre
Wah Kwai Estate, Kellett Bay
 
Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon:
——————
 
Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices, 42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories:
—————-
 
Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall  
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing:
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung

North:
North District Community Centre
2 Lung Wan Street, Sheung Shui
 
Sai Kung:
Chi Shin Activity Centre
G/F, Tseung Kwan O South Ancillary Facilities Block
5 Chi Shin Street, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long

     The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a siu mei and lo mei shop in Mong Kok to suspend business for 14 days as the operator repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by cleansing or storing equipment or utensils in open space.

     The shop, located on the ground floor of 1037 Canton Road, Mong Kok, was ordered to suspend business from today (February 1) to February 14.

     "In last September and November, two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the shop. A total fine of $4,100 was levied by the court and 15 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the 14-day licence suspension," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.

     The licensee of the shop had a record of two convictions for the same offence last March and July. A total fine of $4,500 was levied and 15 demerit points were also registered. The breaches led to a licence suspension for seven days last September.

     The spokesman reminded the licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.

     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign, at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/index.html).

     The Correctional Services Department (CSD) today (February 1) said the department was notified by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) last night that a visitor who visited a person in custody in Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre on January 24 had tested positive for COVID-19.

     The visit facilities of Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre will be closed today for thorough cleaning and disinfection. The CSD will arrange the staff and persons in custody concerned to undergo COVID-19 test.

     During the COVID-19 epidemic, the CSD has been strictly implementing various disease prevention measures, including requesting all visitors entering correctional institutions to undergo on-the-spot body temperature checks. Correctional Officers will also request visitors to wear masks, clean their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser before entering the premises, and to wear masks throughout the visit.

     The CSD will continue to maintain close liaison with the CHP, actively co-operate with the CHP's quarantine arrangements. The CSD has also reminded its staff to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant. Staff have been reminded to seek medical advice and inform the department as soon as possible if feeling unwell.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority closely monitors the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.